Writing devices



`luly 26, 1966 M. J. voN ARX 3,262,427

WRITING DEVICES July 26, 1966 M. J. voN ARX 3,262,427

WRITING DEVICES Original Filed Nov. 6,. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UnitedStates Patent O 3,262,427 WRIIEQG DEVICES Marcel Joseph von Arx, 4'4 Ruedu Point Jour, Montegeron, Seine et Oise, France Continuation ofapplication Ser. No. 235,763, Nov. 6, i962. rlfhis application (Ict. 6,1965, Ser. No. 497,594 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.13)

This application is a continuation of copending application Serial No.235,763, led November 6, 1962, and entitled Ball Point Pens, and nowabandoned.

The present invention relates to writing devices and particularly toball point pens of the multiple writing unit type. Such pens areprimarily used with writing units charged with ink of different colorsto give a quick color-change in use but they may also be used with unitscharged with the same ink so that when one unit is exhausted, anothercan be brought quickly into operation.

In accordance with the presen-t invention there is provided a ball pointpen of the mutiple writing unit type and having for each writng'unit apusher which is spning-biased from an engaged operative position towardsthe retracted position, in which pen each pusher is provided with a rampadapted, when the pusher is advanced while another pusher is engaged, todisengage the other pusher and thereby cause it to be spring driven toits retracted position.

In the operation of the pen each pusher is engaged when the point of itswriting unit projects in the writing position at the end of the pen andis released for return to its retracted position when another pusher ismoved from its own retracted position, IFurther movement of the otherpusherbrings the new ball point into the writing position.

In one preferred form of the pen each pusher consists of a head partupon which the ramp is formed and a rod part which passes through ahelical spring which provides the spring bias for the pusher.Conveniently a guide member for the pusher is mounted on the axis of thepen and provides an abutment for restrainingthe pushers in the engagedposition. ber is grooved or slotted to accommodate the ramps as thepushers are advanced.

Instead of arranging the writing unit so that the ramp of one pusherbears directly on the other pusher to disengage it, there may beprovided, in' accordance with anotherpreferred form of the invention, atransversely ydisplaceable ball mounted between the pushers, which ballserves to convey the disengaging reaction of the ramps from one pusherto the other. Conveniently, the pushers are formed with recesses whichare penetrated by the ball when the pushers are in the .retractedposition, said recesses being bounded by the ramps.

Other features and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription of preferred embodiments of the invention; otherembodiments, proportions and the like may be used without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a part-sectional elevation of a rst embodiment designed fortwo writing units with one ball point in the writing position and theother retracted,

FIG. 2 is a View similar to FIG. 1 with both ball points retracted,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are elevations on an enlarged scale of one of the pushersused in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and

iFIGS. 5 and 6 are part-sectional elevations of a second embodimentdesigned for two Writing units.

In all the figures, the same reference numerals signify correspondingparts.

Each unit is fitted to the rod part d of a pusher, slid- Advantageouslythe guide mem-- 3,262,427 Patented July 26, 1966 ably carried in a fixedguide plug e, formed with internally shouldered channels el and fixed,for example, to the body of the pen. Threaded over each rod part is aspring f which bears against the base g1 of a pusher head g and againstthe shoulders of the chan-nels e1, by means of which the pushers slidein the ring e.

'Two cavities h, machined or moulded in the upper part of -the cap c,are adapted to receive the heads g of the pushers which abut in theretracted position against the shoulder h1. These heads move along amedian partition having a central slot i1. The lower part of thispartition forms a stop for the forward portion j of the heads.

The heads g of the pushers d present (FIGS. 3 and 4) l on their innerfaces a projection k, the end of which is inclined to provide a ramp k1.

The operation is as follows:

Downward pressure exerted on the head of the pusher corresponding withthe selected color is transmitted both vertically to push the ball pointforward, and transversely to the axis of the pen so that the top j ofthe head of the pusher engages under the partition i.

In order to retract the ball point corresponding with the engagedpusher, the spring of which is now cornpressed, it is necessary only toexert a light pressure on the head of the other pusher. The ramp thereofwhich rests against the upper part of the projection of the head,engaged under the pantition i, pushes outwardly against said upper partand disengages it. The writing unit returns to the retracted positionunder the action of the spring f until the head of its pusher engagesthe upper pant of the cap e1, the projection k sliding in the slot i1 ofthe partition z'.

Continued pressure on the head of the pusher for the selected colorresults in locking the new ball point in the writing position.

It will be noted that the small number and simplicity of the componentsof the pen are conducive to manufacture at unusually low cost.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the head g has a recess m, boundedby a ramp portion m1.

An aperture n is formed centrally through the forward aperturen is helda ball o which, as may be seen from lFIGS. 5 and 6, is displaceabletransversely to the axis of the pen.

The equally simple operation is as follows:

When a pressure is applied to the head g of the pusher, this hea-ddisplaces the ball o and engages in the operative position. The ball isreceived in the recess mi of the other pusher (FIG. 6). In order torelease the engaged pusher and return it under the action of its returnspring, it is necessary only to operate the other pusher. Under theaction of the ramp m1 of the notch m of the said other pusher, the ballis forced transversely to disengage the head of the engaged pusher andcause its release. Further movement of the head of the pushercorrespond- `ing with the new color locks the ball point therefor in thewriting position.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated lby the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A ball point pen comprising a casing; a plurality of writing unitsseparately movable between a Writing position and a retracted positionin said casing; a guide plug fixed in said casing; a pusher rod for eachunit mounted slidably for movement along the longitudinal axis of saidcasing in said casing guided by said guide plug; a pusher headcooperating with each pusher rod slidably mounted in said casing; aspring biasing each pusher rod to the retracted position located betweensaid guide plug and its corresponding pusher head; an axially directedabutment on each pusher head; an axially directed abutment on saidcasing positioned between said pusher heads and engageable by saidabutments of said pusher heads when in the writing position of saidunits restraining them against a retraction by said springs; and asubstantially radially directed disengagement ramp on each pusher headcooperating directly with an integral portion of a pusher head of a unitin writing position on manual movement of a pusher head from theretracted position to move the pusher head of the unit in writingposition radially clear of said abutment on said casing and therebycause a springbiased retraction thereof.

2. A writing device comprising a casing; a plurality of elongatedwriting units; said writing units being mounted in said casing for axialmovement along the axis of said casing and being separately movablebetween a writing position and a retracted position in said casing;spring means biasing each Writing unit to its retracted position in saidcasing; abutment means xed longitudinally relative to said casingpositioned between said writing units; locking means on each of saidwriting units engageable by said abutment means when said writing unitsare moved into their writing positions for restraining said unitsagainst retraction by said spring means; and camming means integrallyformed on each writing unit; the camming means of one of said writingunits cooperating directly with an integral portion of another of saidwriting units when said other writing unit is in its writing positionupon movement of said one writing unit from its retracted positiontoward its writing position to move the locking means of said otherwriting unit clear of said abutment means so as to cause a spring-biasedretraction of said other writing unit to its retracted position.

3. A writing device comprising a casing; a plurality of writing units;said writing units being mounted in said casing for axial movement alongthe axis of said casing and being separately movable between a writingposition and a retracted position in said casing; spring means biasingeach writing unit to its retracted position in said casing; abutmentmeans xed relative to said casing and positioned between said writingunits; locking means on each of said writing units engageable by saidabutment means when said writing units are moved into their writingpositions for restraining said units against retraction by said springmeans; and camming means comprising a substantially radially directeddisengagement ramp integrally formed on each Writing unit; thedisengagement ramp of one of said writing units cooperating directlywith an integral portion of another of said writing units when saidother writing unit is in its writing position upon movement of said onewriting unit from its retracted position toward its writing position tomove the locking means of said other Writing unit clear of said abutmentmeans so as to cause a spring-biased movement of said other writing unitto its retracted position.

4. A writing device comprising a casing; a plurality of writing units;said writing units being mounted in said casing for axial movement alongthe axis of said casing and being separately movable between a writingposition and a retracted position in said casing; spring means biasingeach writing unit t0 its retracted position in said casing; abutmentmeans Fixed relative to said casing and positioned between said writingunits; locking means on each of said writing units engageable by saidabutment means when said writing units are moved into their writingpositions for restraining said units against retraction by said springmeans; each of said writing units having a substantially radiallydirected projection integrally formed thereon; each of said projectionshaving a cam surface; the cam surface of one of said writing unitscooperating directly with an integral portion of the projection ofanother of said Writing units when said other writing unit is in itswriting position upon movement of said one writing unit toward itswriting position to move the locking means of said other writing unitclear of said abutment means so as to cause a spring-biased movement ofsaid other Writing unit to its retracted position.

5. A writing device comprising a casing; a plurality of writing units;said writing units being mounted in said casing for axial movement alongthe axis of said casing and being separately movable between a writingposition and aretracted position in said casing; spring means biasingeach writing unit to its retracted position in said casing; abutmentmeans tixed relative to said casing and positioned between said writingunits; locking means on each of said writing units engageable by saidabutment means when said writing units are moved into their writingpositions for restraining said units against retraction by said springmeans; each of said writing units have a substantially radially directedprojection integrally formedthereon', said projection being elongated inthe direction of the -axis of said casing; each of said projectionshaving a cam surface near its end which is closest to the writing end ofthe writ-ing unit on which it is formed; the cam surface of one of saidwriting units cooperating directly with an integral portion of theprojection of another of said writing units when said other writing unitis in its writing position upon movement of said one writing unit towardits writing position -to move the locking means of said other writingunit clear of said abutment means so as to cause a spring-biasedmovement of said other writing unit to its retracted position; saidintegral portion of the projection of said other of said writing unitsbeing located near the end of said last-mentioned projection which isopposite the cam surface of said last-mentioned projection.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 217,896 3/1961 Austria.1,249,835 1l/l960 France.

915,905 7/ 1954 Germany.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner.

2. A WRITING DEVICE COMPRISING A CASING; A PLURALITY OF ELONGATEDWRITING UNITS; SAID WRITING UNITS BEING MOUNTED IN SAID CASING FOR AXIALMOVEMENT ALONG THE AXIS OF SAID CASING AND BEING SEPARATELY MOVABLEBETWEEN A WRITING POSITION AND A RETRACTED POSITION IN SAID CASING;SPRING MEANS BIASING EACH WRITING UNIT TO ITS RETRACTED POSITION IN SAIDCASING; ABUTMENT MEANS FIXED LONGITUDINALL RELATIVE TO SAID CASINGPOSITIONED BETWEEN SAID WRITING UNITS; LOCKING MEANS ON EACH OF SAIDWRITING UNITS ENGAGEABLE BY SAID ABUTMENT MEANS WHEN SAID WRITING UNITSARE MOVED INTO THEIR WRITING POSITIONS FOR RESTRAINING SAID UNITSAGAINST RETRACTION BY SAID SPRING MEANS; AND CAMMING MEANS IN TEGRALLYFORMED ON EACH WRITING UNIT; THE CAMMING MEANS OF ONE OF SAID WRITINGUNITS COOPERATING DIRECTLY WITH AN INTEGRAL PORTION OF ANOTHER OF SAIDWRITING UNITS WHEN SAID OTHER WRITING UNIT IS IN ITS WRITING POSITIONUPON MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE WRITING UNIT FROM ITS RETRACTED POSITIONTOWARD ITS WRITING POSITION TO MOVE THE LOCKING MEANS OF SAID OTHERWRITING UNIT CLEAR OF SAID ABUTMENT MEANS AS AS TO CAUSE A SPRING-BIASEDRETRACTION OF SAID OTHER WRITSING UNIT TO ITS RETRACTED POSITION.